50lb Blob Lift - Do You Need #3 Level Crush Strength?

[Bill Piche]

To do the 50lb blob, is it required to have a crush at about the level of closing a #3?

Opinions?

[macaz]

Just so happens that I got my MM0 and lifted a blob 50 on the same day. I knew the #3 was in my grasps but the blob lift was a surprise.

I think if you don’t train thumb too you can close a huge gripper and not be able to lift a blob.

[bencrush]

I don't think it would necessarily be a "requirement" to be at the #3 level to lift the Blob...

But I know I was closing a #3 before the Blob finally came up. And closing an Elite before the Blob finally came up for that matter.

I'm trying to think of someone - anyone - who has lifted the Blob WITHOUT the ability to close a #3. I'm talking about MMS closing a 150lb #3 for reference.

[Wade Gillingham]

I don't think it would necessarily be a "requirement" to be at the #3 level to lift the Blob...

But I know I was closing a #3 before the Blob finally came up. And closing an Elite before the Blob finally came up for that matter.

I'm trying to think of someone - anyone - who has lifted the Blob WITHOUT the ability to close a #3. I'm talking about MMS closing a 150lb #3 for reference.

I've seen some guys that can lift the blob and cannot close a #3. I know I have seen the blob lifted and they were not able to close a #2 or #2.5. This is rare and usually it is guys that are very big and have a very big hand. Although we did have a skinny rock climber come through once that lifted the blob about half way up and couldn't do anything with grippers or the Rolling Thunder. So to answer your question, no it's not a prerequesite but for an average size hand (8" or under) I would say it's a very good indication of who has a chance to lift it.

Wade

[gripmaniac]

Rephrasing the question to:

"Should most #3 closers be able to lift a blob?" and I come up with an answer of "not necessarily".

I think Wade's point of hand size is a better indicator of basic potential to achieve the feat (obviously you still need strong overall hand strength).

I've lifted a blob - but at the time I couldn't close an average #3. Big hands, sheer persistance, and some handy thumb strength got me over the line more than my crushing strength.

[mightyjoe]

I would venture to say that those that can no-set a #3 can lift a Blob 50.

With an MM set takes some of the hand size equation out of the picture on grippers but a no-set

probably places that particuarly gripper feat back into hand size related.

Interesting question for sure.

Another factor to be considered is the difference in feats. One crushing, one wide pinching.

[Autolupus]

I would say in general it will be around that level, with some lifting the blob first and some closing the gripper first. They are different animals but if overall hand strength increase was averaged I think that the levels are pretty close, with most achieving both at or around a similar time.

Edited October 11, 2011 by Autolupus

[1stCoC]

Related but really a different function of the hand the thumb has little(at its far end) to do during a #3 close but it is totally "the key" in a Blob lift. I would think a guy that closes a #3 would not be "new:" to gripping and have other balanced grip strength as well.

I had two "monsters" walk in yesterday one claiming a(get this) 263lb. Inch "trainer" apparatus dead lift. When given the "opportunity" couldn't close a 2.5, lift a new gen Blob or budge a 158lb. Inch replica. He was a real nice fellow but "shattered" when he left. I was having my lunch still munching on a pizza as I did a demo for him. I think he will be back! RS

[Hubgeezer]

I'm trying to think of someone - anyone - who has lifted the Blob WITHOUT the ability to close a #3. I'm talking about MMS closing a 150lb #3 for reference.

Odd Haugen

[daniel reinard]

When I lifted a blob I was a 2.5 MMS closer. I venture to say if I had been introduced to the blob earlier I would have lifted it then as well. They are different animals and especially for newbs who have no grip training, their hands can be quite imbalanced. Pinch has been easy for me to pick up while grippers have required tons of work. The two are not related and many strong hands struggle to even hop a blob. I know several gents who were closing 3.5s MMS before getting a blob to lockout.

Also consider this, there are far more people who can MMS a #3 than can lift a blob. Look at the records page, ~70 people. I think this fact right here says it all.

[Autolupus]

When I lifted a blob I was a 2.5 MMS closer. I venture to say if I had been introduced to the blob earlier I would have lifted it then as well. They are different animals and especially for newbs who have no grip training, their hands can be quite imbalanced. Pinch has been easy for me to pick up while grippers have required tons of work. The two are not related and many strong hands struggle to even hop a blob. I know several gents who were closing 3.5s MMS before getting a blob to lockout.

Also consider this, there are far more people who can MMS a #3 than can lift a blob. Look at the records page, ~70 people. I think this fact right here says it all.

Maybe I just have a natural aptitude for pinch then.

Edited October 11, 2011 by Autolupus

[jad]

They are not related IMO. I think grippers are more popular and certainly more attainable so we see a lot of guys closing #3s that can lift the blob. The hardest part about lifting a blob is finding one and by finding one I mean owning one so you can actually train on it.

[Mike Rinderle]

Bob Sundin can lift a blob + 10 lbs and I don't believe he can close a #3. Daniel Reinard came to mind as well. He's closing number 3s now, but not when he owned the blob he wasn't (as stated above).

I lifted a York 50 lb blob + a tiny bit of weight at Jedd's Saturday with my left hand and I'm not sure I can close a #3 with my left hand at this point in my gripping career.

Daniel, Bob, and I all have sub 8" hands, so i don't think it's hand size either.

[jad]

Bob Sundin can lift a blob + 10 lbs and I don't believe he can close a #3. Daniel Reinard came to mind as well. He's closing number 3s now, but not when he owned the blob he wasn't (as stated above).

I lifted a York 50 lb blob + a tiny bit of weight at Jedd's Saturday with my left hand and I'm not sure I can close a #3 with my left hand at this point in my gripping career.

Daniel, Bob, and I all have sub 8" hands, so i don't think it's hand size either.

Mike, do you own a blob and if so how long? I know that Daniel and Bob do. I couldn't lift my blob50 as soon as I got it but I think I was hitting it within a week or two of getting it and I was cleaning it shortly afterwards. I don't think I had a huge jump in strength.

[daniel reinard]

Time on a blob is very important and the list is shorter because of availability as jad said. Also I think most people aren't used to wide pinches but we all have a crush grip of some sort.

Having said that the blob was lifted both hands the day I first touched one. One hand was a 2.5, the other was a 2. The next workout were clean and presses.

I think the climbing I have done helped with ISO strength, and not so much the dynamic crushing motion of a gripper.

[wojo]

I'm chiming in to give a newbie's input. I've always been involved in athletics and I've always trained with free weights....but I had never done any specific grip work until about 8 weeks ago.

I just recently closed my CoC #2.5 for the first time and also just recently lifted a 50lb hex block for the first time. I never tried a blob (although I just got my 50lb next gen blob in the mail today, so I'll give it my best next workout...but honestly I think it's gonna take a fair amount of hard work before I lift it).

So those are my relative strength levels....seems to jive with the discussion above....I seem to be a comparable distance away from either feat.

[Wade Gillingham]

Bob Sundin can lift a blob + 10 lbs and I don't believe he can close a #3. Daniel Reinard came to mind as well. He's closing number 3s now, but not when he owned the blob he wasn't (as stated above).

I lifted a York 50 lb blob + a tiny bit of weight at Jedd's Saturday with my left hand and I'm not sure I can close a #3 with my left hand at this point in my gripping career.

Daniel, Bob, and I all have sub 8" hands, so i don't think it's hand size either.

That's an interesting twist on this. I can close a #3 with my left most of the time. Sometimes I can dominate it and sometimes I miss it. There's never a time that I can't lift the blob easily with my left. The blob or inch feel natural to my left or right, i'm just not as strong with my left. Grippers on the other hand feel ackward and foreign to my left. I'd guess that has to do with the dynamic nature of a gripper close vs. a static lift like the blob.

[Bill Piche]

How about this twist....

How about guys that have done the blob while being 5'9" tall or shorter and their crush level? My guess...no one under this height in general (I am sure there are exceptions, but not the rule) will be able to lift the blob with a level below a 3 crush. Yes, this does point to hand size in general....

[macaz]

How about this twist....

How about guys that have done the blob while being 5'9" tall or shorter and their crush level? My guess...no one under this height in general (I am sure there are exceptions, but not the rule) will be able to lift the blob with a level below a 3 crush. Yes, this does point to hand size in general....

I qualify for that being 5'8". But my hands are big for my height @8". If you were eluding to smaller hands from the height than maybe just ask about hand size directly. You would have to be stronger for sure with smaller hands.

.

[Bill Piche]

I guess I am not quite sure what would be considered a small hand? Hand width comes into play as well right?

[Autolupus]

I guess I am not quite sure what would be considered a small hand? Hand width comes into play as well right?

Hand size is bound to have an effect, I would say mine are smallish @ 7.25". I would also think hand span rather than width would be an important factor, with my thumb to pinky span being around 9.25".

[rico300zx]

I don't think it would necessarily be a "requirement" to be at the #3 level to lift the Blob...

But I know I was closing a #3 before the Blob finally came up. And closing an Elite before the Blob finally came up for that matter.

I'm trying to think of someone - anyone - who has lifted the Blob WITHOUT the ability to close a #3. I'm talking about MMS closing a 150lb #3 for reference.

that would have been me

[junior]

I wonder what percentage of people 5'9 or below with 7.5 or less hands own one. I don't yet.

[daniel reinard]

I wonder what percentage of people 5'9 or below with 7.5 or less hands own one. I don't yet.

That's a short person or fairly small hand. Not your typical athlete build.

[Cannon]

I wonder what percentage of people 5'9 or below with 7.5 or less hands own one. I don't yet.

That's a short person or fairly small hand. Not your typical athlete build.

That's almost me. I'm 5'10" with 7-5/8" hand (the best I can measure). I am nowhere near lifting the blob but I can close almost any #3. I can't lift the 42.5 fatman that I got recently either.